The present invention relates generally to the field of display devices for exhibiting products to consumers at a point of purchase location, and more particularly, to a novel system for merchandising beverages utilizing a modular concept, for in-store display of beverage products.
A myriad of shelves, racks, carousels and other arrangements, have been used over the years in supermarkets and other point of purchase locations to stock and display beverage products for sale. With particular attention to devices used for storing and displaying beverage bottles, the most commonly found display device consists generally of an array of in-line shelving units, commonly referred to as gondolas. The gondolas include a pair of sidewalls with means for supporting horizontally arranged shelves between the sidewalls. A series of gondolas are placed in alignment to form aisles. As a potential purchaser passes through an aisle, beverage bottles carried on the shelves will be readily visible and available for purchase by the consumer. However, as the bottles are removed from the shelves, the empty spaces at the front of the shelf are not automatically refilled. The automatic gravity feed system of the present invention overcomes this particular disadvantage as will be appreciated hereinafter.
While the well known gondola systems have served the bottling industry well, they tend to lack versatility, adjustability and automatic refilling ability. In other words, once installed in the supermarket, it is difficult, if not impossible, to rearrange shelving or the sidewalls to accomodate new displays in order to enhance merchandising and marketability of the products. Additionally, the currently used shelving systems for displaying beverage bottles in supermarkets are difficult and time consuming to install. Typically, installation of these systems requires the attention of more than a single installer, and usually involves some on-site assembly of parts.
It has also become apparent that the current means for merchandising beverage bottles in the supermarket and grocery store environment have become almost universal, being constructed almost exactly the same in all situations. The result is uniformity in merchandising methods regardless of the brand. Thus, a situation which diminishes a consumer's ability to distinguish between brands has been created. Accordingly, as a result of the same type of beverage display racks being used in most situations, a large number of beverage brands and package sizes, which are currently offered in stores today, have created three principal problems. First, the large number of brands result in confusion since the consumer is unable to readily distinguish between brands. Secondly, is the problem of store maintenance. Third, there are the problems for the individual manufacturers relating to maintaining consumer recognition and national brand impact. Similarities in product packaging and trademark usage tend to additionally confuse the consumer, and the traditional gondola display systems fail to overcome this merchandising difficulty.
The currently available systems also fail to account for varying space limitations depending upon the particular installation. Most of the currently used systems are of standard size and structure, so that variations in rack layout are impossible.
Existing gondola equipment is not readily adaptable to brand identification or brand organization. The result is susceptibility to brand mixing by poor stacking techniques. This results not only in likely confusion to consumers, but produces significant inventory control problems to the retailer. Although Coca-Cola is a highly recognizable brand, consumers inevitably will tend to make mistakes in choice when other cola products, packaged in similar containers, are placed side by side with Coca-Cola products.
Another difficulty with gondola equipment, as currently utilized, is that it cannot handle the inventory required to effectively control out-of-stock situations. This has become a critical situation because of the introduction of the large package sizes, such as the 2 liter bottle. More effective use of available space will likely provide a remedy for this situation. Failure to include any means to automatically refill empty shelf space at the front of the shelves also worsens this situation.
A further shortcoming of the existing gondola systems is the inability to use these systems in a free standing situation. Frequently, a retailer will simply fill available space in a store with open cartons of products. This creates an unattractive and inefficient merchandising situation. It would be far more preferable to locate a free standing merchandising device in the space where open cartons would ordinarily be placed. The shortcomings of the existing systems in the ability to fill empty spaces are overcome by the present invention, as will be appreciated from the discussion hereinbelow.
Case stacking is widely used as the accepted method of mass merchandising goods which are placed on sale below normal retail prices. Old wooden cases, rough cut corrogated cartons and piles of unidentified products are frequently scattered about carelessly, with no preplanning in evidence. The only merchandising technique in these situations is product display cards or handmade signs which are placed on top of or adjacent the stacked cases. For the most part, bottler-supply promotional signs are of poor quality and design, and fail to maintain a brand quality consumer image.
It is, accordingly, one general object of the present invention to provide a new concept in beverage bottle display systems which overcomes the disadvantages of the current and prior art.
More specifically, an object of the present invention is to provide a beverage display system utilizing a modular concept for in-store display of beverage products, which is simple to erect and install, and which is readily movable for rearrangement to accomodate new displays and enhance merchandising beverage products.
Yet another specific object of the present invention is to provide a system for merchandising beverage bottles which gives maxium product display and accessibility, while simultaneously, maintaining the integrity of the brand being displayed and merchandised.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a beverage bottle display and storage system which as a shelf assembly with an automatic gravity feed capability so that as bottles are removed from the front, the empty spaces will automatically be refilled by bottles from the rear.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which forms a modular part of a merchandising system, which is capable of taking advantage of space limitations and can be utilized either in a free standing situation or an in-line arrangement.
Yet a further specific object of the present invention is to provide a system of merchandising beverage bottles which includes structural web elements or uprights for supporting therebetween, a variety of shelving assemblies in an almost infinite number of arrangements.
Additionally, the present invention is intended to provide means and capability for distinct product identification, while simultaneously, providing structural integrity to the unit.
Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent, to those skilled in the art, from the detailed description of the invention in connection with the annexed drawings to be described more fully hereinafter.